Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy

8.1 As set out in Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, a tenant or leaseholder has a duty to "use the premises in a tenant-like manner".  This means that our tenants are expected to take good care of the dwelling, carry out daily maintenance tasks and not do anything that directly leads to a deterioration of the fabric of the building or the installations and facilities provided. For example, tenants should; keep the dwelling clean and heat and ventilate the property appropriately.

8.2 Tenants can report instances of damp, mould and condensation via:

• Repairs Helpdesk on 0800 408 6008 from 8am to 4pm (Monday to Friday).
• repairs@gateshead.gov.uk
• My Housing Account (opens new window)

8.3 Cases of damp, mould and condensation may also be identified by Council staff visiting homes for a range of other reasons.  All instances should be logged by email to repairs@gateshead.gov.uk and these will be followed up accordingly.

8.4 Tenants are responsible for making sure they take appropriate steps to prevent significant amounts of condensation that result in damp or mould growth, including:

• Following all advice and guidance issued by Gateshead Council on managing and controlling damp, mould, and condensation. This information can be found on our website. We will also provide an advice leaflet.
• Regularly checking for and treating condensation and mould, including cleaning mould from clothes, fabrics, carpets, and furnishings, and so on. Under certain exceptional circumstances where the tenant is unable to carry out mould washes or redecoration, Gateshead Council will provide support and assistance.
• Referring tenants to the Housing Advice and Support team, to ensure that tenants are maximising their income and are able to access specialist support to help with the costs of heating their home. 
• Reporting an issue to us, even if the issue is in its early stages, where all reasonable efforts have been made to manage and control condensation and mould and this has not been successful.
• Regularly checking for and reporting any evidence of rising and penetrating damp and reporting any repairs or faulty equipment that will affect the management of humidity and moisture in the home (for example water ingress, faulty extract fan, unable to open windows, and heating system failure and so on).
• Keeping the property well-ventilated and try to reduce the conditions that lead to condensation dampness by keeping the presence of moisture to a minimum.
• Allow access for inspections and for the carrying out of all remedial works.
• Ensuring the general upkeep of extractor fans and vents (that is, that they are regularly cleaned and any defects reported to the repairs helpdesk).
• We will ask tenants who are utilising environmental monitors to follow advice to improve the temperature and humidity of their homes to minimise the opportunity for condensation to form.  Gateshead Council will support and signpost tenants if there is financial hardship.
• Arranging adequate household contents insurance to protect their home from damage caused by damp, mould and condensation.
• Redecoration where remedial works and mould wash treatments have been undertaken. It is recommended that anti-fungal paint is used and that wallpaper should not be hung by the tenant for at least six months. 
• For vulnerable or disabled tenants, we will consider how to assist the redecoration process on a case-by-case basis.
• Seeking advice and permission from Gateshead Council in accordance with the Tenancy Agreement where tenants are considering any changes within their home, to ensure the proposed alteration would not contribute to the accumulation of damp, mould, or condensation.
• Adequately heating rooms, if they can afford to - ideally at 18°C. Gateshead Council will support and signpost tenants if there is financial hardship. If following an inspection by an independent specialist surveyor, the outcome shows that all reasonable measures are in place for the tenant to adequately control condensation and mould, further advice and support will be given to the tenant such as providing advice on best use of heating system and best way to ventilate the property.
• Where a tenant is not satisfied with our response we ask that they raise this through our complaints procedure.

8.5 If the tenant fails to take the advice and reasonable steps to reduce damp, the tenant may be recharged for any resulting repairs required as a result of neglect.

8.6 Further information on how we follow-up on a report of damp/mould is included in our Damp, Mould and Condensation Procedure.